Compressed Air/Compressors

To meet new requirements, Airchannel has installed a new CompAir L132 SR Rotary screw compressor at leading technical glassware producer, Potters Ballotini, part of the global Potters Industries group.

As the world leader in glass bead impact technology, Potters is continually developing and refining its manufacturing procedures to ensure consistently high quality glass spheres, which are tested to conform to every market specification.

To ensure customers can immediately comply with current regulations, Airchannel, the UK’s leading independent compressed air specialist, is providing an integrated Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) as part of its complete service.

On installation of a new compressed air system or new equipment being added to an existing installation, users are required to have a WSE in accordance with Regulation 8 of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations, SI 2000 No. 128, before the system can be legally operated.

BEKO Technologies UK service department has recently won the contract to validate compressed air quality on all co-ordinate measuring machines (CMM’s) at a major aerospace company in Derby.

CMM’s are used to accurately measure manufactured components, vital in an industry such as aero-engines.

Each CMM is protected by a membrane or adsorption dryer, and the new contract involves regular site visits to check and service the dryers and ensure the CMM’s are given the very best quality of compressed air, which is vital for their accurate and reliable function. A complete air quality test is made on each CMM and a report issued to the customer.

Michell Instruments’ MDM300 advanced dew-point hygrometer can save engineers weeks of waiting time each year.

Recent research into the operation of Michell Instruments’ ceramic sensor technology has helped the MDM300 provide faster measurements. Dew points as low as -70°C can now be measured accurately in less than 10 minutes – faster in many cases. This super-fast response does not rely on the sensor being dried by a desiccant, which means that every measurement is fast – not just the first of the day – allowing for many more measurements to be taken each day.

To meet new requirements, Airchannel has installed a new CompAir L132 SR Rotary screw compressor at leading technical glassware producer, Potters Ballotini, part of the global Potters Industries group. As the world leader in glass bead impact technology, Potters is continually developing and refining its manufacturing procedures to ensure consistently high quality glass spheres, which are tested to conform to every market specification.

The company recently installed a new bagging line at its Barnsley production facility to handle increased volumes and as a result the air consumption increased from 400 cubic feet per minute (CFM) to 800 CFM. To meet this need, and to maximise efficiency, a new compressed air solution was required.

To help businesses cope with the current tough economic conditions, Airchannel Limited is launching PaySmart, a new way of financing a company’s compressed air needs. As well as new equipment, PaySmart covers the fitting of new pipework and ancillaries along with full installation.

Subject to the package selected, it is backed by a regular programme of maintenance and free on site breakdown cover with a four-hour response time. It allows customers to obtain the latest technology at a fixed cost that is spread equally over between three and five years, avoiding a high capital outlay, and benefits from full tax relief.

BEKO Technologies is further extending its product range by launching their first e-learning course - “The Basics of Compressed Air Technology”. This innovative course is now available to all customers and partners, giving them the chance to share and benefit from BEKO’s vast experience in compressed air.

The course “Basics of Compressed Air Technology” gives an insight into compressed air from the end users point of view. It provides information about applications and their quality requirements as well as how compressed air is produced and distributed.

More and more often, industrial applications expect mobility and flexibility from compressed-air processing. For example for the employment at different sites or outdoors. A solution to that is the installation of complete compressed-air stations in transportable sea containers. These mobile performance centres make special demands on the technology applied, in particular as far as compressed-air drying is concerned.

A company which recognised the growing need for mobile compressed-air stations particularly early is Karl Uhl GmbH in Bochum, Germany. For 80 years now already, the experts from the Ruhr area have operated as wholesalers and service providers of compressed-air technology.

The new BEKOMAT 33 was presented for the first time at this year’s Hannover trade fair in Germany. With this new condensate drain BEKO further extends the range started with the 31 and 32 drains two years ago. These drains have been very well received by our customers, leading to demand for a larger device- hence the new 33.

All three drains in the range have the same basic innovative concept in common: The BEKO service module. This module contains all wearing parts in a corrosion resistant housing which is fitted in seconds- making service a doddle! On the 33 we find, in addition, a condensate receiver tank to cater for larger condensate output, and a larger valve orifice.

When changing the service unit the condensate tank remains in place attached to the compressed air system, meaning no time consuming de-coupling of solid pipework.

Every service unit is pressure and function tested at the BEKO factory for peace of mind, and requires no electrical installation other than unplugging the electrical housing and plugging it back in again once the drain is serviced- just like plugging in an electrical item at home!

The new BEKOMAT 33 joins the other drains in the BEKO range, of which more than 1.5 million have so far been sold around the world. Please contact BEKO for more details

Until now, absolutely oil-free compressed air for sensitive applications could only be produced using relatively costly, often interconnected compressor- and filter-based technology.

In many cases not entirely re-liably. Now a newly developed and effective catalysis method and an extremely reliable residual-oil monitoring system point the way to the future of permanent high-quality compressed-air processing and moni-toring.